ASEAN chief suggests sub-regional tourism network

The ASEAN chief has called on Thailand to consider initiating a
network at the sub-regional level for the money-making tourism industry
in order to help turn the country into the region’s economic hub.

ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan said during a special lecture on
opportunities and threats for the Thai tourism industry that the number
of travelers to ASEAN grew 10 percent on-year in 2011 to 82 million,
45-50 percent of which coming from within the region.

He
also stated that Thailand is to speedily work on the sub-regional
tourism network to pull more travelers into the country before they
travel to the third nation.

In addition, Surin suggested
that new products are also to be created, during the times when the
Eurozone debt crisis is slowing down European, US and Japanese markets.

The ASEAN chief also said that Thailand should promptly
improve land, water and air transportation systems while considering an
option to make Donmuang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao airports active
passages for travelers coming in and leaving the country.

And with the convenient connection among all 3 airports, Surin is
confident that Thailand will become ASEAN’s aviation hub and achieve the
2-trillion-baht tourism revenue target by 2015.-VNA